Have you ever been on Ebay looking for people sellings model kits to build in the future when you see someone who is selling an already built model. I laugh when they say it is "Pro-Built" and when you look at it, it looks like it was done by a three year old with the jitters! What makes them think they are "pros"? I really get a good laugh at that.

Despite what many people think, being a professional at something has nothing to do with skill. The only thing that differentiates a professional from an amateur is a professional gets paid for what he does. Sell one model and you are a professional model builder.

I agree with Tim, professional just means you're paid. I suppose one could bring up the worlds oldest profession in this regard. What has always amazed me though is that people are buying some of the stuff. And paying decent money for them.

A friend does quick (good by any standard but not his best work) builds specifically to sell on e-bay. He has one particular "customer" who buys up a bunch of Berman stuff. Makes my friend a ittle jittery that he might be helping a skinehad along with his obsession, but it supports my friend's resin and metal habit.

LOL,
DONT EVEN GO THERE!!!!!
You dont wanna get me started ABOUT EBAY smeebay. THAT ^@%#$% site has cost me
$2000.00 and I have no recourse to get it back.
AND ON ANOTHER NOTE.
I am A PROFESSIONAL roadracer and I dont get paid by any of the BIG 6, so am I/or
am I not a pro.
Yes I have sponsors and yes I collect $$ for my wins. BUT it's my bike, built by me, repaired by me, AND I dont race for the FACTORY. I do consider all those you have the KAHUNA'S...
to do ,what we do ,to be PROS, so that Pro issue is debatable.

Well, that's the pits. In the 45 yrs I've been building I sell one model and I lose my amature status! Now if model building ever makes the Olympics I can't compete.

It is sad that they put them sloppy built models on e-bay, but what is realy sad is that people buy them up big time!

Go figure!
Garry

Actually, it's not. From the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

Main Entry: 1pro·fes·sion·al
Pronunciation: pr&-'fesh-n&l, -'fe-sh&-n&l
Function: adjective
Date: circa 1748
1 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b : engaged in one of the learned professions c (1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace
2 a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs b : having a particular profession as a permanent career c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return
3 : following a line of conduct as though it were a profession
- pro·fes·sion·al·ly adverb

Per definition #2 (higlighted). If you receive money for doing it, you are a professional. It doesn't have to cover the bills, but you do receive money for doing it which makes you a professional by definition. Your sanctioning body may not have you in a pro class, but that is a classification issue not a definition issue.

Per definition #1.a and 1.c.1 (italicized). You and your fellow racers are professionals by following the standards set by profession, in this case motorcycle racer. (note that this definition backs up your position even moreso than the other)

Note that pay is not the only way to acheive professional status, it is just the most common. However, in non-sanctioned type of activities it is up to the participant on whether or not they classify themselves as a pro. I have designed web sites for pay, but I don't consider myself a professional web designer. I have sold a couple of car models, 1 built on spec and 2 on contract. Again, I do not consider myself a professional modeler, however when marketing myself I would call attention to the fact that by definition I am a professional in both of those disciplines. It helps to sell yourself if you can be considered a professional.

TWISTED FATE,
Then yes.........as you have been so kind .To demonstrate by definition.
I would have to concede, that I am a pro. And again by #1 we as particapents ,with the level of experiance and skill are professionals. BUT back to the origonal issue of the CLOWN on Ebay who was selling his model under the guise "built by professional" if you are a sucker to think THAT level of build is professional.........well I FEEL DRASTICLY SYMPATHETIC for you
because you are a sucker.
But a FOOL and HIS MONEY soon part ways. THANX again TWIST enough said.

I have a couple of thoughts:
1) I showed my wife wife what the "Pro Built" kits were going for on EBay and now I am afraid to take a business trip. I could see the wheels turning in her head, "He has a couple grand sitting on those shelves, hmmmm."
2) The fact that people spent money on the crappy "Pro Built" models made me realize the vast majority of people in the world don't have any idea how good these "toys" can look with a bit of time and effort. For most people the only point of reference that they have is the last model they built when they were 8 years old, everything was painted gloss sky blue out of a bottle of Testors enamel and had glue strings hanging all over it. Compared to their last efforts, the models on EBay do look good.
3) Finally, I have been to museums and seen models that don't look as good as half of the stuff I see on this site in the galleries and on the RRB. Ya know what, we are good at this people!!
(Sorry about the horn tooting hee hee.)

Some time ago I suggested an Armorama EBay fund raiser. Donate and auction off a kit, and kick the money back to the site. I don't have a clue about selling on EBay so I couldn't handle that end but I have a model built by a rank amateur (me) that I would be happy to kick in.

Discuss...

Shaun

Frankly, it doesn't phase me in the least that hacks call themselves "pro". If someone sees crap for sale on E-bay, then sees what I can do, well, it just makes my stuff lok better by comparison. Also, since most 1-2-3 competitions have no differenttiations between the most and least talented builder/painters, their claling themselves "Pro" doesn;t have any affect there either. In the competitions based on standards, (gold-silver-bronze) there are usually skil level breakdowns, and "pro" isn't one of them. If one of these guys wants to enter AMPS or a serious figure show at the highest level of competition, he's just donated his entry fee to the club with nothing to take home. Again, he's had no effect on me or any other person in the show.

Bottom line, let them self promote and sell their crap. If it makes them happy , strokes their egos and keeps them buying more models (keeping the business end alive), all's the better.

Hehehe
I'm not talking about this post either....

When I see bad models on Ebay that where supposed to be built by "pro's" I simply think........N E X T.....and then click the next button....... I feel it's a waste of time to think over who is a pro and why he is it.... I like a model or I don't....Pro or no Pro.....

2 cents from the Dutch Eagle

I completely agree with Eagle. There is so much work to do and so lil time that i wont spent a second to the so called pro's or what . I think everybody could think him self as a pro when the result looks fine to your eyes and satisfies your heart for the hours you spend. Thats all !!!

On the other hand, I have seen some very fine built kits on ebay. Of course they come with pretty hefty tags too. Ususally start out with pretty high opening bids or have a high reserve on them. The guy sells them so he pushes what the market will bear. I've thought about going this route. Just do a well made OOB and you can probably pick up at least a 50% profit over what you paid for it.

why not make money and have fun at the same time...the romance of the 'starving artists' days are long gone...

I wouldn't have any problem at all selling my finished models on eBay. As a college student who's staple is literally Ramen noodles, I'll do about anything to fuel my modeling hobby =P

Get labeled a pro... ha - look on the bright side; it's one more thing on your resume eh?

OK, so speaking about pro-built for sale, how about those new "collectible" models being offered by Tamiya? Those go for several hundred dollars each, and are essentially Tamiya kits with metal tracks and a metal barrel. It just goes to show that even the big companies think there is a market in this.

Mika

When I was pres of the local pro photog assoc. our criteria was that if you made more than 50% of you income from photography and you were a pro.

So maybe it's the same for these guys...and i've seen a few of these kits for sale and then checked out their "other" for sales, some months back, there was a seller that had some nice looking kits. If nothing else it's a good resource for images to file away on the HD.

As for my pro status in modeling...not gonna happen.

glack

the real crime is when they (pro's) attempt to build a rare t-10 and its awfull then want to sell it for hundreds....should be a law...

ive built some items for the worst Cav museum when I was stationed down there.Steve the curator is pretty tight had to settle for him buying me a extra kit are two for my work...hey im ok with that though allowed me to buy other kits at the time.Ie also done some work for some of the officers in the units ive been in..but most of the time I pefer to build just for the fun of it...warhog